Telecommunications terminal block

Abstract

A telecommunications terminal block provides service wire terminations within cells that are electrically and physically isolated from other cells in the block, and from the environment, thereby effectively preventing corrosion and shorting by eliminating electrical bridging between tip and ring service wire circuits. Cell 21 in the dielectric terminal block body 10 contains a pair of spaced-apart contact surface members 32, 35 that are forced into compression engagement upon an inserted service wire end 26 by threaded advancement of a dielectric plug 13 situated within the cell. A conduit bore 12 in the block wall directs insertion of the stripped service wire 16 between the contact members prior to plug advancement, and a gasket member 38 extending across the annular space between the plug and the cell wall, with an optional cell-filling gel 47, ensures exclusion of the environment from the cell and isolation between tip and ring circuits.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A terminal block comprising: (a) a body of dielectric material having a plurality of open cells in the upper surface thereof, each of said cells having firmly embedded therein to form the cell floor an electrically conductive insert comprisng one member of a threaded couple;   (b) a plurality of plugs of dielectric material each closely accommodated in a respective one of said cells, thereby forming a narrow annular space between the respective walls of each said plug and cell, each of said plugs having firmly embedded therein at its lower end the other member of said threaded couple, said couple members being in interactive engagement whereby the lower end of said plug may be displaced toward compression contact with said cell floor;   (c) sealing means contacting each respective plug completely about the circumference thereof and extending outwardly across said annular space, thereby preventing access to the floor of said cell from said body upper surface;   (d) a plurality of bores in said body communicating between the exterior of said body and the interior of each respective cell closely adjacent its floor; and   (e) a stub cable comprising a plurality of electrical conductors extending from the exterior of said body to the interior thereof where each respective conductor of said cable terminates in a conductive connection with a separate one of said cell inserts, thereby establishing an electrical circuit between each of the exterior ends of said conductors and the respective cell floors.   
     
     
       2. A terminal blcok comprising: (a) a body member of dielectric composition;   (b) a plurality of bores in the upper surface of said body member and terminating therein to form a like plurality of cells within said body member;   (c) a plurality of plug members each situated within a respective one of said cells and dimensioned to be individually closely accommodated within said cell, thereby forming a narrow annular space between the respective walls of each said plug and cell;   (d) a plurality of cell insert members of electrically conductive composition firmly affixed to said body member and respectively situated within each of said cells to form a floor surface therein, said insert members each comprising one of a pair of interactive threaded elements;   (e) a plurality of plug insert members each firmly affixed to a respective one of said plug members and presenting at the lower end thereof the other of said threaded element pair, whereby insertion of a plug member into its respective cell establishes contact between said threaded element pair, and interactive engagement of said pair will cause said plug member lower end to be moved toward the floor surface of said cell, thereby forming a closure space at the bottom of said cell between said plug member lower end said floor surface;   (f) sealing means contacting each respective plug completely about the circumference thereof and extending outwardly across the annular space of the cell within which said plug is accommodated, thereby forming a seal preventing access to said closure space from said body member upper surface;   (g) a plurality of bores in said body member communicating respectively between each said closure space and the exterior of said block, said bores being sized to closely accommodate a wire intended to be terminated at said block; and   (h) a stub cable extending to the exterior of said body member and comprising a plurality of wires each of which is terminated at its body interior end in an electrically conductive connection with a different respective one of said cell insert members, thereby establishing a conductive circuit between the exterior end of each stub cable wire and the respective ones of said cell floor surfaces.   
     
     
       3. A terminal block according to claim 2 wherein said cell insert member comprises an internally threaded bore, and said plug insert member comprises a matching threaded stud. 
     
     
       4. A terminal block according to claim 2 wherein said cell insert member comprises a threaded stud, and said plug insert member comprises a matching threaded bore. 
     
     
       5. A terminal block according to claim 2 wherein said cell and plug insert members are of the same metal composition. 
     
     
       6. A terminal block according to claim 2 which further comprises a washer member situated adjacent to the lower end of each plug member and loosely engaging the respective plug insert member, thereby providing a bearing surface complementary to each said cell floor surface. 
     
     
       7. A terminal block according to claim 2 wherein said closure space contains a dielectric gel composition. 
     
     
       8. A terminal block comprising a body of dielectric composition, a stub cable contained within said body and comprising a plurality of electrical conductors, and a plurality of threaded compression connnectors affixed to said body and in conductive connection with respective ones of said conductors, whereby service wires may be placed in electrical circuit with respective ones of said conductors by means of compression engagement with respective ones of said connectors, characterized in that (a) each said connector comprises: (1) a first electrically conductive insert member in conductive connection with one of said conductors and embedded within said body at the bottom of a cell bore in said body to thereby form a conductive floor in said cell, said insert member comprising one of an interactive threaded couple; and   (2) a second insert member comprising the other of said threaded couple embedded in a plug of dielectric composition situated within said cell and sized to be closely accommodated within said cell, thereby forming a narrow annular space between the respective walls of each said plug and cell, the lower end of said plug forming with said cell floor a closure space within which a service wire may be compressed into contact with said floor when said couple are in threaded engagement;     (b) sealing means contacting said plug completely about the circumference thereof is situated above said closure space and extends outwardly across said annular space to thereby prevent access to said closure space from the mouth of said cell; and   (c) a conduit bore sized to closely accommodate a service wire communicates between the exterior of said block and said closure space, threby providing for the insertion of said wire into said closure space prior to compression engagement with the floor of said cell upon threaded advancement of said plug.   
     
     
       9. A terminal block according to claim 8 characterized in that said cell insert member comprises an internally threaded bore, and said plug insert member comprises a matching threaded stud.   
     
     
       10. A terminal block according to claim 8 characterized in that said cell insert member comprises a threaded stud, and said plug insert member comprises a matching threaded bore.   
     
     
       11. A terminal block according to claim 8 characterized in that a washer member is situated adjacent to the lower end of said plug and loosely engages said plug insert member, thereby providing a bearing surface complementary to said cell floor.   
     
     
       12. A terminal block according to claim 8 characterized in that said closure space contains a dielectric gel composition.   
     
     
       13. A terminal block according to claim 8 characterized in that said first and second insert members are of the same composition.